Competition: Total BWF Sudirman Cup 2017
Venue: Gold Coast, Australia
Category: BWF Event
Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Round: Group Stage
Time: 1.30pm IST
Channel: Star Sports 2 and Star Sports HD2
Live streaming: Star Sports Hotstar
Preview:
(5/8) Indonesia vs (9/12) India
India did not have the best of starts to their Sudirman Cup 2017 campaign, losing their opener to the second seeds and two-time runners-up Denmark 1-4. World No. 4 PV Sindhu, who delivered the solitary win, was the only saving grace of the entire contingent.
There were positives, though, for the team despite the dismal scoreline. The doubles pairs performed well and took a game each in the women’s and mixed categories against top 5 opponents.
India need to build on those positives and convert them into wins if they are to have any chance of making it through to the knock-out stages. They have not progressed past the group stage in the last two editions and this time too, all hopes will be dashed if they cannot put up an all-round effort against Indonesia.
The task, though, is not easy. The Indonesians are former champions and are seeded higher than India.
In the women’s singles category, Indonesia do not have any top 20 player and Sindhu, as usual, can be counted on for a win.
Anthony Sinisuka Ginting is ranked World No. 23 in men’s singles but lost to Srikanth Kidambi at the Singapore Open in April. The Indian will look to bring forth the same courage and conviction for an encore.
The doubles, however, will present the sternest test. Indonesia have multiple top 10 pairs in men’s as well as mixed doubles with Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo being the reigning No. 1 team in men’s doubles.
The only category in doubles in which India have a realistic chance is the women’s doubles where the highest ranked Indonesian team of Della Destiara Haris and Rosyita Eka Putri Sari is placed at 15th.
After their inspiring show against Denmark where they narrowly lost to the World No. 2 combine of Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen in three games, the Syed Modi International Grand Prix runners-up Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy will be hungry for a win.
